[AGRICULTURE] THE IMMENSE BENEFITS OF CASSAVA TO THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY

Nigeria can earn over N255 billion annually if 10% cassava flour is included in bread.
In fact Nigerian bakers are capable of increasing the percentage of cassava flour in bread to 20%. Acting on the former government’s cassava flour initiative, Flour Mills of Nigeria introduced Golden Penny Multi-purpose flour, a bread and baking flour, which is a combination of wheat flour and 10% high quality cassava flour.

However, as the Group MD will share, challenges such as inadequate equipment for flour production, substandard cassava flour plus the delay in legislation for proper implementation of the cassava flour policy remain. Nigeria is the largest cassava producer in the world, yet the economic and industrial potential of the crop is not fully explored and utilised. The Federal Government of Nigeria is expected to revive the cassava bread initiative and work to get flour millers to add 15% cassava in the wheat they milled.

Cassava Bread Initiatives
Paul Miyonmide Gbededo, Group MD, Flour Mills of Nigeria